Casa Arboles

Casa Arboles stands just outside Sámara, on a hill cooled by breezes, and the front patio is where the house really lives. Protected from the rain, fitted with ceiling fans and evening lighting, it overlooks the pool, the treehouse and the view: a good place to start the morning with the howler monkeys and to end the day watching the sunset.

Inside, the rooms are filled with light and color. Beds have high-quality bamboo sheets and hotel quality pillows, with ceiling fans and air conditioners. The master bedroom holds a dedicated workspace with high-speed, reliable internet; the second has a queen and a single bed and a new smart TV, and a sofa bed in the living room sleeps one more. The kitchen is designed with cooks in mind, with sharp knives, new cookware and small appliances and cabinets built from local Guanacaste wood.

Children take to the place quickly: the pool, the climb up to the treehouse to look for monkeys, the resident iguana, the hike down to the river. The house comes with two beach cruisers, and more are easy to rent in town, but plan on a car: Sámara and the beach are about 8 minutes away by car, and the last stretch is gravel with a steep driveway up to the gate, so a 4x4 is needed. Parking is secure, inside the locked gate.